Elections 2019

Opinion

Stanekzai Dismisses Rumors About A Fifth Pillar Within The System

The Chairman of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) Massoum Stanekzai on Sunday said rumors about the existence of a fifth pillar within the political system were completely untrue and that these rumors have been fueled by political forces.

On Sunday, Meshrano Jirga (the Upper House of Parliament) summoned a number of security officials including the NDS chief to brief senators about the deteriorating security situation - with a special focus on the recent spate of attacks in Kabul city that left over 150 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Stanekzai said government will not collapse, but warned that negative propaganda will add to woes of the country.

Referring on the recent protests in Kabul, Stanekzai said the protests had not been organized in accordance with the law.

But, Stanekzai’s remarks were met by a strong retaliation from senators.

“There is no fifth or sixth pillar, it a political pillar, it is the political rivalries in which one accuses the other, as one says that someone in ARG (presidential palace) belongs to the fifth pillar,” said Stanekzai.

“Some had been beaten with stone some other with stick and one or two people hit with bullet,” added Stanekzai.

On the issue of police shooting protestors, there were no details given.

“So far we do not have anything to say which one of them was injured with a bullet,” said Salim Asas, head of police force at Ministry of Interior (MoI).

“You are aware that the protestors went from Khair Khana and reached the scene, no one attacked the police, my son who was martyred had called the police his brothers, because the police are implementing the law, he called on others to cooperate with police and avoid engaging in clashes with police, but then a police officer or another criminal opened fire,” said first deputy speaker of senate Mohammad Alam Ezadyar, whose son was shot dead during the protest rally.

On speculation about the delivery of weapons by military choppers to insurgents in some provinces, Stanekzai rejected these claims and said it was negative propaganda.

“Despite the challenges and shortcomings, today many intelligence agencies in the region confess and they fear and they always try to harm the NDS, you should find out about why they are doing this,” he said.

He said the security and intelligence services have done whatever they can to thwart terror attacks in the cities.

He also said there had not been satisfactory security coverage for Salim Ezadyar’s funeral ceremony. Ezadyar had been shot during a demonstration in Kabul. The following day, three suicide bombers targeted his funeral and detonated their explosives among the mourners, killing at least 20.

“You cannot lead the system effectively, the work of a garrison commander was not done properly,” said senator Nisar Haris.

Stanekzai said that the only solution to the ongoing turmoil in the country was for government to deal with the challenges from a national platform.

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The Chairman of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) Massoum Stanekzai on Sunday said rumors about the existence of a fifth pillar within the political system were completely untrue and that these rumors have been fueled by political forces.

On Sunday, Meshrano Jirga (the Upper House of Parliament) summoned a number of security officials including the NDS chief to brief senators about the deteriorating security situation - with a special focus on the recent spate of attacks in Kabul city that left over 150 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Stanekzai said government will not collapse, but warned that negative propaganda will add to woes of the country.

Referring on the recent protests in Kabul, Stanekzai said the protests had not been organized in accordance with the law.

But, Stanekzai’s remarks were met by a strong retaliation from senators.

“There is no fifth or sixth pillar, it a political pillar, it is the political rivalries in which one accuses the other, as one says that someone in ARG (presidential palace) belongs to the fifth pillar,” said Stanekzai.

“Some had been beaten with stone some other with stick and one or two people hit with bullet,” added Stanekzai.

On the issue of police shooting protestors, there were no details given.

“So far we do not have anything to say which one of them was injured with a bullet,” said Salim Asas, head of police force at Ministry of Interior (MoI).

“You are aware that the protestors went from Khair Khana and reached the scene, no one attacked the police, my son who was martyred had called the police his brothers, because the police are implementing the law, he called on others to cooperate with police and avoid engaging in clashes with police, but then a police officer or another criminal opened fire,” said first deputy speaker of senate Mohammad Alam Ezadyar, whose son was shot dead during the protest rally.

On speculation about the delivery of weapons by military choppers to insurgents in some provinces, Stanekzai rejected these claims and said it was negative propaganda.

“Despite the challenges and shortcomings, today many intelligence agencies in the region confess and they fear and they always try to harm the NDS, you should find out about why they are doing this,” he said.

He said the security and intelligence services have done whatever they can to thwart terror attacks in the cities.

He also said there had not been satisfactory security coverage for Salim Ezadyar’s funeral ceremony. Ezadyar had been shot during a demonstration in Kabul. The following day, three suicide bombers targeted his funeral and detonated their explosives among the mourners, killing at least 20.

“You cannot lead the system effectively, the work of a garrison commander was not done properly,” said senator Nisar Haris.

Stanekzai said that the only solution to the ongoing turmoil in the country was for government to deal with the challenges from a national platform.